10 answers
Ayanna
Student
Miami Gardens, Florida
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What should I expect when taking college classes
I am currently a senior about to entertain college. I would like to know how it is taking major classes. #dentist #college #double-major
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10 answers
Samantha Truxal
Chef
105
Answers
West Valley City, Utah
Updated
Samantha’s Answer
Its fun but a lot of hard work. Take lots of notes and study when u can. With covid it may be different but I did in classroom setting and online classes. The generals is what got me but if you focus and do what you need to do you will be fine. Also what makes it different from high school is that everyone wants to be there.
Lauren Grzyboski, CFE, CAMS, MBA
Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Forensics Associate
47
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Lauren’s Answer
Hi Ayanna,
Great question! Each course you take will be different depending on your field of study. Overall, your first and second years in college will focus a lot on general education courses and foundational courses geared towards your major. For example, you might have to take a music or art history course. That said college class work is definitely not like high school class work, so it'll be an adjustment at first. Expect to put in at least 3-5 hours a week preparing and studying for each of the classes you take.. and try your best to stay ahead of all reading assignments because it can get a little overwhelming sometimes. The best advice I could give you is to review the syllabus given to you in each of your classes the first week and plan out your semester from there in your designated calendar. Obviously things happen and stuff will get moved around, but it's good to stay organized early on especially since the syllabus remains pretty consistent in terms of deadlines to be met. With all of the papers, exams, and readings you'll have to complete, make sure you are able to manage your time wisely. As long as you are putting in the time to do the work and get it done effectively, you'll be able to manage college classes well.
Great question! Each course you take will be different depending on your field of study. Overall, your first and second years in college will focus a lot on general education courses and foundational courses geared towards your major. For example, you might have to take a music or art history course. That said college class work is definitely not like high school class work, so it'll be an adjustment at first. Expect to put in at least 3-5 hours a week preparing and studying for each of the classes you take.. and try your best to stay ahead of all reading assignments because it can get a little overwhelming sometimes. The best advice I could give you is to review the syllabus given to you in each of your classes the first week and plan out your semester from there in your designated calendar. Obviously things happen and stuff will get moved around, but it's good to stay organized early on especially since the syllabus remains pretty consistent in terms of deadlines to be met. With all of the papers, exams, and readings you'll have to complete, make sure you are able to manage your time wisely. As long as you are putting in the time to do the work and get it done effectively, you'll be able to manage college classes well.
Brayden Reiland
119
Answers
Corvallis, Oregon
Updated
Brayden’s Answer
Hello!
College is by far some of the best times of your life. This is a time that you truly find your interest and being making relationships that last a lifetime. Course work in college is much different than that of high school. The overall difficulty of classes might not be that different but the amount of time that you are required to spend on the course is much more. College assignments are used more as supplementary material used to guide your thinking through the material. Where as in high school assignments can typically used to closely mirror what might show up on an exam. College will require you to spend more time on studying the material looking over notes and doing examples from class.
It also depends to on what discipline you are majoring in. I know some that are much more group oriented where you are collaborating with other students in order to write a research paper, or do a presentation. And there are other disciplines where its a lot of memorization and repetition where you are remembering definitions of words or anatomy of the human body, all disciplines are different.
Overall though college is truly the first time where you are able to learn specifically what you want to learn which some students really enjoy. It also allows you to take classes outside your discipline that interest you. Because universities offer so many degrees there is almost a course for everything so if you have a specific interest in something, there is probably a class for it.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
College is by far some of the best times of your life. This is a time that you truly find your interest and being making relationships that last a lifetime. Course work in college is much different than that of high school. The overall difficulty of classes might not be that different but the amount of time that you are required to spend on the course is much more. College assignments are used more as supplementary material used to guide your thinking through the material. Where as in high school assignments can typically used to closely mirror what might show up on an exam. College will require you to spend more time on studying the material looking over notes and doing examples from class.
It also depends to on what discipline you are majoring in. I know some that are much more group oriented where you are collaborating with other students in order to write a research paper, or do a presentation. And there are other disciplines where its a lot of memorization and repetition where you are remembering definitions of words or anatomy of the human body, all disciplines are different.
Overall though college is truly the first time where you are able to learn specifically what you want to learn which some students really enjoy. It also allows you to take classes outside your discipline that interest you. Because universities offer so many degrees there is almost a course for everything so if you have a specific interest in something, there is probably a class for it.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Cheryl Haller
High School College Advisor
43
Answers
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Updated
Cheryl’s Answer
Two things. First, especially at the university level, expect to study 2-3 hrs for each credit you are taking. For example, if you are taking 15 credits a semester, expect to attend class 15 hours PLUS study 30 to 45 hours per week. In other words, college should feel like a full time job; the difference in college is in how you allocate those hours...during the week, weekends, days or evenings. You figure out what works best for you. You also need to determine where you will get the most work done. Some students like the library; I liked studying in my room because I needed to be away from distractions.
The second thing to know is that students are expected to think for themselves in college. The teacher doesn’t tell you what to say or do; they want to hear what you think. They want you to dig deeper than the surface. This will all make sense to you when you start college. Enjoy it!
The second thing to know is that students are expected to think for themselves in college. The teacher doesn’t tell you what to say or do; they want to hear what you think. They want you to dig deeper than the surface. This will all make sense to you when you start college. Enjoy it!
Luis Bricenio
Senior PeopleOps Specialist
25
Answers
Gresham, Oregon
Updated
Luis’s Answer
Hi Ayenna!
What an awesome step you are going to take! I believe someone mentioned it here, but the first year will establish a lot of the foundational education you need for your mayor. I think its in these classes where you solidify your desire to continue in the career you have chosen or you may even find a different career of your interest there! Outside of classes, I think a lot of these require more independence in the sense where a lot of your assignments, projects will be self directed, without having a teacher telling you to turn in your assignments, so read your syllabus!!
What an awesome step you are going to take! I believe someone mentioned it here, but the first year will establish a lot of the foundational education you need for your mayor. I think its in these classes where you solidify your desire to continue in the career you have chosen or you may even find a different career of your interest there! Outside of classes, I think a lot of these require more independence in the sense where a lot of your assignments, projects will be self directed, without having a teacher telling you to turn in your assignments, so read your syllabus!!
Jason Criddle
Sales Manager
63
Answers
Boise, Idaho
Updated
Jason’s Answer
Hi Ayanna,
College can be a great experience but it is very different from High School. While there are some schools and programs that differ, one generalization is that no one is going to check up on you or demand that you perform. Whether you complete your assignments, show up for class, or even study is squarely on your own shoulders as no one else is likely to ask, check in, or even care. You are free to succeed or fail on your own merits. That is not to say that there is not support available, simply that you will need to determine what works for you and what doesn't. One of the biggest skills you will need to be successful is time management. Being able to structure your time to meet the various demands in front of you will be critical. Fortunately your classes will have a syllabus so you will know well in advance what the demands will be and can structure your time accordingly.
Good Luck!
College can be a great experience but it is very different from High School. While there are some schools and programs that differ, one generalization is that no one is going to check up on you or demand that you perform. Whether you complete your assignments, show up for class, or even study is squarely on your own shoulders as no one else is likely to ask, check in, or even care. You are free to succeed or fail on your own merits. That is not to say that there is not support available, simply that you will need to determine what works for you and what doesn't. One of the biggest skills you will need to be successful is time management. Being able to structure your time to meet the various demands in front of you will be critical. Fortunately your classes will have a syllabus so you will know well in advance what the demands will be and can structure your time accordingly.
Good Luck!
Thomas Sutherland
Associate Continuity and Recovery Specialist, CBCP
207
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
College will be a transition for sure, but it will be a slow transition. If you studied and did well in high school, you should have no problem in college. Most first year classes pick up were your high school classes ended: some may have a few weeks of review too. There are also tons of resources in college to help you like tutoring or office hours with professors. The other nice thing about college is there are usually multiple professor teaching the same class, so if you have a heard time learn from a professor, you can switch to another one.
Crystal Lee, CPA, MPAcc
Valuations Specialist
5
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Crystal’s Answer
Hey Ayanna,
One of the biggest differences between college and high school is the knowledge that you are PAYING for your education now. Public high school is close to being free, so you're not losing anything when you skip one class during the day. However, universities can charge over $700 per credit of class, so your 2 or 3 credit class could potentially cost $1400 - $2100 (divided by 10 weeks, at 2 or 3 times per week) or $70 per SESSION. If you skip, you're just throwing $70 down the drain. And that's considered relatively cheap. Attendance is not required in the major introduction courses (there are just too many people. If you attend a public university, it could go up to 400+ people per class), so it's on you to attend all your classes, study, take tests, and find help if you need it. Finding your study style and what works for you (making note cards does nothing for me, for example, but could be super effective for you!) is going to be one of the biggest things you're going to want to develop quickly.
The classes move very fast. If you're on a quarter system, classes last only 10 weeks long, so imagine cramming in an entire subject in 10 weeks! It'll seem like you just took a test and there's another one. The professors also don't talk to each other like your high school teachers may and you could potentially have tests on the same day. They don't care about anything other than getting the material to you, but that doesn't mean that there aren't professors who care (they're just rare).
Major classes, from what I'm assuming you're asking, are those introduction classes that you have to take in order to take more advanced classes. We often call them intro classes, or pre-requisites. As an aspiring dentist, you're most likely going to take Chemistry 101, Biology 101, Physics 101, etc. Lot of science and math classes.
A few tips: Don't sign-up your semester/quarter with ALL hard classes. Take one, or two if you want to move forward faster, and throw in a more relaxing class (ask around what's a good "GPA booster") so it's not so hard to keep up your GPA from semester/quarter to another. You also might not get your desired classes, so have some back-ups that fit the schedule.
About the classes. There will be extremely intelligent people in every class. Either that will be you, or it'll be someone else. They're going to be the ones that set the curve of the class (how everyone else is graded/scored). Sometimes you'll get 95% on a test, but if most of the people did too, the professors adjust everyone downward so you only receive a B because you weren't in the 95%+ (that's what curved means, you can look it up in more detail). It's a way to see how well you performed against your peers. Don't let it get you down. It doesn't mean you're dumb.
One of the biggest differences between college and high school is the knowledge that you are PAYING for your education now. Public high school is close to being free, so you're not losing anything when you skip one class during the day. However, universities can charge over $700 per credit of class, so your 2 or 3 credit class could potentially cost $1400 - $2100 (divided by 10 weeks, at 2 or 3 times per week) or $70 per SESSION. If you skip, you're just throwing $70 down the drain. And that's considered relatively cheap. Attendance is not required in the major introduction courses (there are just too many people. If you attend a public university, it could go up to 400+ people per class), so it's on you to attend all your classes, study, take tests, and find help if you need it. Finding your study style and what works for you (making note cards does nothing for me, for example, but could be super effective for you!) is going to be one of the biggest things you're going to want to develop quickly.
The classes move very fast. If you're on a quarter system, classes last only 10 weeks long, so imagine cramming in an entire subject in 10 weeks! It'll seem like you just took a test and there's another one. The professors also don't talk to each other like your high school teachers may and you could potentially have tests on the same day. They don't care about anything other than getting the material to you, but that doesn't mean that there aren't professors who care (they're just rare).
Major classes, from what I'm assuming you're asking, are those introduction classes that you have to take in order to take more advanced classes. We often call them intro classes, or pre-requisites. As an aspiring dentist, you're most likely going to take Chemistry 101, Biology 101, Physics 101, etc. Lot of science and math classes.
A few tips: Don't sign-up your semester/quarter with ALL hard classes. Take one, or two if you want to move forward faster, and throw in a more relaxing class (ask around what's a good "GPA booster") so it's not so hard to keep up your GPA from semester/quarter to another. You also might not get your desired classes, so have some back-ups that fit the schedule.
About the classes. There will be extremely intelligent people in every class. Either that will be you, or it'll be someone else. They're going to be the ones that set the curve of the class (how everyone else is graded/scored). Sometimes you'll get 95% on a test, but if most of the people did too, the professors adjust everyone downward so you only receive a B because you weren't in the 95%+ (that's what curved means, you can look it up in more detail). It's a way to see how well you performed against your peers. Don't let it get you down. It doesn't mean you're dumb.
Pallavi Chandna
Teaching assistant
7
Answers
Columbus, Ohio
Updated
Pallavi’s Answer
Hi Ayanna,
That's a great question. Some of the strategies will vary based on the major but they will have some common themes. Coursework in college is different from high school courses in that they require more independence and more planning. Oftentimes, it may be that you are taking a course which has 3-4 exams for the entire grade. Therefore, it would be on you to break down a schedule of how you would want to study. Additionally, some of your courses may be in big lecture halls, which might make it a little bit more difficult to ask questions. However, those courses usually have a smaller recitation course where you can ask in a more class-room sized environment.
That's a great question. Some of the strategies will vary based on the major but they will have some common themes. Coursework in college is different from high school courses in that they require more independence and more planning. Oftentimes, it may be that you are taking a course which has 3-4 exams for the entire grade. Therefore, it would be on you to break down a schedule of how you would want to study. Additionally, some of your courses may be in big lecture halls, which might make it a little bit more difficult to ask questions. However, those courses usually have a smaller recitation course where you can ask in a more class-room sized environment.
Tom Gillespie
Senior Director Franchise Leader / Retired US Army Warrant Officer
12
Answers
Heath, TX
Updated
Tom’s Answer
Ayanna,
Well, the biggest difference between college and high school is the responsibility is solely on the student to accept the requirements to meet expectations defined on the syllabus. The student is expected to attend class, turn in work on-time and manage time efficiently without any professor or teacher involvement. Highly recommend you look into time management and project management skills in preparation for attending college.
If you are going to school away from home, expect to be lonely, miss the family, and friends. Remember, everyone will be there to support you and help you while you are away.
Well, the biggest difference between college and high school is the responsibility is solely on the student to accept the requirements to meet expectations defined on the syllabus. The student is expected to attend class, turn in work on-time and manage time efficiently without any professor or teacher involvement. Highly recommend you look into time management and project management skills in preparation for attending college.
If you are going to school away from home, expect to be lonely, miss the family, and friends. Remember, everyone will be there to support you and help you while you are away.